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Ukrainian airplane burns down at Leipzig airport

No victims reported, airport working normally

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

KIEV, August 9 (Itar-Tass) - An Antonov airplane belonging to a Ukrainian air carrier burnt down at the airport of Leipzig, Germany, overnight to Friday, according to Ukrainian State Service of Emergency Situations.

“The details of the incident are unclear now. The information is being specified,” the Ukrainian emergencies service reported. According to preliminary reports, no people were injured in the fire onboard the An-12 airplane.

Media reported that the fire broke out, when the engines were switched on. The burnt airplane An-12 belonged to Ukraine-Aeroalliance air carrier and was performing a charter flight from Leipzig to Mineralnye Vody, Russia.

Later Leipzig airport spokesman Uwe Schuhart said that the incident would not affect the passenger air traffic, noting that the air harbor was closed for about an hour over the fire-fighting efforts.

“Since 03:00 local time on Friday the airport operates in routine mode; there are no problems with departures and arrivals of the airplanes,” he noted.

For unclear reasons the fire broke out at about 02:00 local time on Friday, Schuhart said. In his words, the airplane An-12 was parked at this moment of time and wasn’t making any maneuvers. The fire, which was extinguished an hour later, burnt down completely the middle section of the airplane. About 100 firemen were working at the fire site.

The federal service for investigation of air incidents is looking into all details of the incident.

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